1. Field of the Disclosure
This invention relates generally to medical connectors through which fluids flow, and in particular, to medical connectors for use with medicament vials.
2. Description of the Disclosure
Vials or ampules are routinely used in hospitals and other medical settings for storing medications in the form of liquids and powders, as well as in other forms such as capsules. Vials can have a tubular shape or a bottle-like shape with a neck, but are available in a variety of other shapes as well. Vials are typically made from glass, such as borosilicate glass, but can be made from any desired material such as polypropylene or any other suitable glass or plastic. The glass can be colorless or colored, typically amber, depending on the application and medication stored. Vials are available in a range of opening sizes. For example, vials are commercially available having 8 mm, 11 mm, 13 mm, 17 mm, 20 mm, and 28 mm opening sizes, among others.
A range of different closure systems can be used with commonly used vials. Typically, vials have a stopper (or sometimes referred to herein as septa or septum) to sealingly close the opening in the vial. Metal foil, such as from aluminum, can be crimped or wrapped around the upper portion of the vial to secure the stopper to the vial in such a manner that an airtight seal can be created between the septum and the vial. The metal foil, or cap, as the term is used herein, can also prevent tampering and contamination of the vial. Some stoppers or septa, such as those made from soft rubber like butyl rubber, silicone, or other elastomeric materials, permit easy access to the medication or other contents within the vial without requiring the user to remove the cap from the vial. Septa also provide the benefit of helping to protect the contents of the vial from contamination from bacteria, germs, viruses, or other contaminants. The soft material allows a medical syringe or spike to penetrate the septa and allows the septa to sealingly close around the cannula of the medical syringe or spike to prevent leakage or contamination. Septa can be partially or fully coated with a more durable material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for added durability.
When a syringe or other connector is engaged with the septum, the closure of the septum can be temporarily opened, pierced, or moved to allow fluid to flow from the vial through the cannula of the syringe or other connector. Even in connectors that have a larger cannula than traditional syringes (such as in vial adaptors), the cannula can be withdrawn from the septum and the soft material of the septum will typically reseal itself after the desired amount of medication is drawn through the cannula and the connector is removed. However, because the depth or thickness of septa may vary from one vial to the next, due to the different sizes and configurations of the vials or septa, it may be difficult for a single vial adaptor to be optimally designed to work most effectively with a broad range of vial sizes and configurations. Thus, there is a need for a vial adaptor that is adaptable for a wide range of vial sizes and configurations.
Additionally, presently known vial adaptors and metal cannula syringes suffer from other drawbacks, including potentially exposing the syringe/vial adaptor user and recipient of the medicine to the harmful substances that are sometimes contained in the vials, either through inhalation or skin contact.